Kenwood High School baseball star Shane Campbell is
going to Maryland. The All-Metro pitcher signed a letter of intent on
Monday to play baseball at the University of Maryland. He will receive
a four-year scholarship where he’ll major in physical therapy. Campbell
signed the letter with his parents, coaches and Kenwood Principal Paul
Martin in attenedance.
“I chose Maryland because it is close to home so my family and friends
can watch me play, and the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) is one of
the best conferences Division I. I want to be a Terp,” Campbell said.
The Middleborough resident has played baseball since the age of six and
has been a student at Kenwood since his sophomore year. He is now a
senior at Kenwood and will play in his final year at the school
beginning in March.
“My goal this season is to be Player of the Year and I want to help my
teammates play better,” Campbell added.
In 2010, Campbell went 5-0 with an Earned Run Average of 0.47. The
left-hander struck out 57 batters in just 30 innings. He was named
First Team All 4A Division and First Team All Baltimore County in both
his sophomore and junior seasons. Kenwood baseball coach Jay Diggs is
happy to coach players like Campbell because it’s not often he sees a
player with that much talent.
“Shane can be extremely dominant when he’s on top of his game. His
strikeout to innings ratio is unbelievable,” Diggs said. “He can mix it
up too. He is not a thrower; he’s a true pitcher. He can change speeds
and make adjustments.”
Diggs believes Campbell will get better at the college level because he
will have a pitching coach that can tutor him each day.
On his pitching days off, Campbell plays in the outfield. He is also
impressive at the plate as he hit a homerun in a game against
Catonsville and has picked up many triples as he drives the ball to the
power alleys of the ballparks.
According to Diggs, Campbell is beloved and respected by his Kenwood
teammates because he has the right mindset.
“Shane is motivated and has a good head on him. Shane is a real humble
kid,” Diggs added. “He knows he has the talent, but he can put things
into perspective.”
In addition to being a great athlete, Campbell’s reputation as an
academic student is just as impressive at Kenwood. He has a 3.69 GPA
that has led to the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic
Association’s Academic Award and Kenwood High’s Minds in Motion
Academic Award. He will be the first in his family to go to college.
“My main focus was to receive an academic scholarship so I knew I had
to maintain my GPA and score well on the SATs,“ Campbell explained.
“That way, I would be eligible for an athletic scholarship. I
never took school as a joke.”